Who we are
Not Dead Yet UK (NDYUK) is a national, grassroots disability rights group that opposes legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia as deadly forms of disability discrimination.
History of NDYUK
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NDY-UK was founded in 2003 by Baroness Campbell of Surbiton following a meeting with the lone disabled campaigner on the issue, Alison Davies. Baroness Campbell along with Dave Morris, Sian Vasey, Rowan Jade, Mengi Mulchandani and Kevin Fitzpatrick held their first meeting in City Hall.
They noted with increasing concern that, whenever a proposed change in the law on Assisted Suicide was debated in the media, it was assumed opposition could only be on religious grounds. Typically, the media turned to Bishops for counter arguments. The views of disabled people were not heard.
Baroness Campbell contacted disabled people in the United States (US) campaigning on this issue under the banner “Not Dead Yet”. They gave advice and encouragement for the establishment of a sister network in the United Kingdom, “Not Dead Yet UK”.​​​
Aims of the group
NDY-UK is a single-issue campaigning network of disabled people. We have no affiliation with any “pro-life” or religious groups or organisations. We are a secular organisation and our members include people of faith and people without faith.
NDY-UK became politically active when it sought to present the views of disabled people ahead of a debate in the House of Lords on 20th November 1997. That debate, “Terminally Ill Patients”, was initiated by Lord Lester of Herne Hill.
​Campaign work
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Since then, NDY-UK has campaigned for the voice of disabled people to be heard each time the issue has returned to a Parliament in the United Kingdom. Our concerns are slowly becoming understood and the media no longer turns only to Bishops.
NDY-UK took an active part in the ‘Conway’ case in the High Court during 2017 & 2018, instructing a Barrister to present our evidence.
NDY-UK’s most recent evidence submission to parliament was to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee into Assisted Dying/Assisted Suicide.
Last year, NDY-UK member Liz Carr, presented an authored documentary “Better off Dead?” on BBC1 focusing on the experience of disabled people and others in countries where assisted suicide has been legalised.